Kittelson again for Mayor, two new council members elected

Mayor Paul Kittelson easily won a 10th two-year term on the Benson City Council, but longest serving member of the council, Gary Landmark, was narrowly edged in his run for a seventh, four-year stint. Landmark is completing his 24th year on the council.
In the three-way race for two open seats on the council, Stephanie Heinzig finished first with 570 votes, Jack Evenson second with 499 and Landmark third with 494. Heinzig and Evenson will be sworn in to their first terms on the council in January.
Kittelson won getting 669 votes to challenger Mark Anderson’s 147. Anderson challenged Kittelson for the mayor’s seat on the council back in 1999, but lost by a wide margin in that race as well.
Incumbent Ben Hess, who is completing his first four-year term on the council, did not seek re-election.
Not up for election this year are Council Members Sue Fitz and Mike Fugleberg. Fitz won re-election to her fifth four-year term on the council in November 2011; she was elected to her first term in 1995. Fugleberg won election to his first four-year term on the council in the 2011 election.
 
Mayor                              Votes                   Percent
Paul Kittelson                    669                      81.5
Mark Anderson                  147                      17.9
Write-in                            5                         0.6
 
Council                            Votes
Stephanie Heinzig               570
Jack Evenson                     499
Gary Landmark                   494